JOHN Burns is feeling chipper – after being reunited with the mystery doctor who helped save his sight.

The 66-year-old was told to see a doctor about a mark near his eye while in the queue at the Rectory Fish Bar in West Bridgford.

He took the advice and weeks later a tumour "the size of a golf ball" was removed by a surgeon.

Mr Burns could not find out the name of the doctor who followed him out of the chip shop to give him the advice late last year.

But yesterday he was reunited with the mystery medic, 57-year-old former GP Richard Mascari.

The father-of-four was tracked down at his home in West Bridgford by the Post and was amazed to hear the part he played in saving Mr Burns' eye.

He said: "I can remember it happening but I can't remember the actual details.

"I do remember thinking: 'My gosh, that needs sorting out'.

"I think someone serving behind the bar made a mention of it and the lady in the shop knows I'm a doctor.

"It was no big heroics on my part. If he has been sorted out you couldn't ask for a better outcome."

The retired GP, a former senior partner at Trent Bridge Family Medical Practice, visits the Rectory Fish Bar once a month to buy cod, chips and scampi.

The pair met up again at the chip shop yesterday and Mr Burns had a chance to thank Dr Mascari personally.

Mr Burns, from West Bridgford, had assumed the mark on his eye was just a wart, but it was actually a basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.

It was removed by Dr Sandeep Varma, a consultant dermatologist and dermatological surgeon at the Queen's Medical Centre.

He was then given skin grafts by Lorraine Abercrombie, an oculoplastic surgeon.

Mr Burns said: "It is all history now but if I had not been to see the GP I could have lost my left eye.

"Now I have got Richard's number I will treat him to cod and chips.

"I didn't think I would get to meet him in a million years – it has been a super afternoon."

robert.parsons@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk